Cutter or disintegrating chain with dirt scraping means



Oct. 16, 1956 A. w. CALDER 2,765,979

CUTTER OR DISINTEGRATING CHAIN WITH DIRT SCRAPING MEANS Filed Jan. 4,1954 mvguron: ALEXANDER W. CALDER ATTORNEY United States Patent CUTTEROR DISINTEGRATING CHAIN WITH DIRT SCRAPING MEANS Alexander W. Calder,Clarernont, N. 1-1., assignor to Joy Manufacturing Company, Pittsburgh,Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Application January 4, 1954-, SerialNo. 402,036

7 Claims. (Cl. 26233) This invention relates to pivoted link chainswhich travel along a guideway and more particularly to endless cutterchains of the pivoted link type guided for circulation in verticalorbits and especially designed for use with the" disintegrating head ofa continuous miner for tearing away and disintegrating the mineral of asolid mine vein.

Endless cutter chains such as are commonly used in the mining of coal orother minerals from the solid, there are usually provided a series ofbit carrying blocks pivotally connected together by connectors or straplinks, and such block and links are usually connected together by hingepins and have plane or slightly arcuate bottom surfaces which ride alongthe plane guiding surfaces of the grideways of a cutter bar or guideframe of a dis-' integrating head with the chains traveling. in parallelvertical orbits. The slightly arcuate or widely curved bottom surfacesof the blocks and strap links are so shaped that they may travel aroundthe curved outer end of the bar or guide frame in a well known manner.Such plane or slightly curved bottom surfaces of the blocks and straplinks as they travel along the plane guiding surface frequently havedirt or dust packed therebeneath during the cutting and disintegratingoperation resulting in a clogging of the chain guideway beneath thechain which ofttimes causes the chain to ride up or climb and thus beseverely overloaded by the resulting tension. 'While the slightly curvedbottoms of the blocks and strap links are somewhat better in operationthan the smooth or plane-bottomed blocks and strap links they soonbecome worn and clogged so that they tend to climb in a disadvantageousmanner after a relatively short period of operation. The presentinvention contemplates improve :ments over such known types or" cutteror disintegrating chains in that means is provided for substantiallyeliminating the possibility of the guideways becoming clogged due todirt or dust working beneath the chain so as to avoid the undesiredclimbing of the chain. In order .to overcome such climbing tendency thebottons of the connectors or strap links are transversely slotted orgrooved and the slots have plane end walls extending .substantiallyperpendicular to the plane bottom surface .of the guideway so that anydust which might accumulate along the guideway beneath the chain isscraped off and the dirt collected in the slots is conveyed outwardly bythe chain along the chain-guideway to a suitable point of discharge asthe chain rapidly circulates along its guideway. The straight or planeend surfaces of the slots or grooves, as has been found under actualwork- .ing conditions, provide sharp edges which do not readily wear offas do the slightly curved bottom surfaces of the connectors or links sothat the efiicient operation thereof is maintained throughout the lifeof the chain.

An object of the present invention is to providean improved cutter ordisintegrating chain. Another object is to provide an improved cutter ordisintegrating chain having novel dirt scraping and conveying meanswhereby clogging of the chain guideways often resulting in thedisadvantageous riding up or climbing of the chain caus- Eater-triedOct. 16, 1956 ing undue chain tension, is substantially eliminated. Afurther object is to provide an improved pivoted link cutter ordisintegrating chain having transverse slots or grooves at the bottomsof certain elements thereof whereby dirt is scraped off from the bottomof the chain guide way and conveyed to discharge. A still further objectis to provide an improved pivoted link chain having the transverse dirtscraping and conveying slots formed in the bottoms of the connectors orstrap links in an improved manner. These and other objects andadvantages of the invention will, however, herein more fully appear inthe course of the ensuing description.

In the accompanying drawing there are shown for purposes of illustrationtwo forms which the invention may assume in practice.

In this drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of a cutter ordisintegrating chain with which a preferred illustrativeembodiment ofthe invention is incorporated, and showing the associated chain guidewayin longitudinal vertical section.

Fig. 2 is a cross section taken on line 22 of Fig. 1, showing thetransverse dirt scraping and conveying slot in the bottom of a connectoror strap link.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the improved connector or strap link,showing. the bottom slot.

Fig. 4 is'a detail cross section taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing embodiment.

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on line 6-6 of Fig 5, showing the bottomslot in a connector or strap link.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the connectors of straps linksshown in Fig. 5. V

Both embodiments of the invention, as shown in the drawing, areincorporated in an endless cutter or disintegrating chain generallydesignated 1 which is guided for circulation in a vertical orbit along aplane bottom guiding surface of the guideway 2 of a cutter bar or guideframe 3. The cutter or disintegrating chain consists of a series ofcutter supporting or bit blocks 4 pivotally connected by transversehinge pins 5 to intermediate connectors or strap links 6. The blockbases have parallel side portions intermediate which the connectors orstrap links extend. These blocks and links have plane bottom surfaces 7and 8 respectively which travel along the plane bottom surface of theguideway although, evidently, the bottoms of the blocks and links may beslightly curved in a conventional manner so as substantially to conformwith the curved end of the cutter bar or guide frame; The chain blockshave lateral lugs 9 provided with sockets for receiving cutter bits 16held in position by conventional set screws 11. The chain may be drivenby a double tooth sprocket which has its teeth entering the spacesbetween the side portions of the block bases and at one side of thestrap links, with the teeth alternately drivingly engaging the curvedrear ends of the strap links and the chain blocks at one side of thelatter.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive the parallel sideportions of the bases of the chain blocks have lateral gibs 12 whichride along guideways 13 at the side of the plane bottom guiding surface2 (Fig. 2), and the strap links 6 have similar lateral gibs 14 at leastat one side thereof, as shown. The strap links, in this embodiment, haveconventional abutment lugs 15 which abut at abutment surfaces 16 on thebit blocks to prevent inward bending of the chain in a well knownmanner. In this improved construction, the bottoms of the connectors orstrap links 6 are transversely slotted or grooved at 17, and these slotsare relatively shallow and have bottoms 18 parallel with thelink-bottoms and are further provided with plane end walls 19 disposedsubstantially anodised perpendicular to the plane bottom surface of theguideway and providing sharp scraping edges 20.

In the modified embodiment shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 the bit carryingblocks 21 and the connectors or strap links 22 have no lateral gibs andare guided solely at their sides and along the plane bottom surface 2 ofthe guideway of the cutter bar or guide frame. Each chain block has alateral lug 23 socketed to receive a cutter bit 24 likewise held inposition by a conventional set screw. The strap links are, in thisinstance, rectangular in cross section (Fig. 6) and the bottoms of thestrap links are transversely slotted or grooved at 17', in a mannersimilar to the embodiment above described.

In operation the endless cutter or disintegrating chains of eitherembodiment, is rapidly circulated along its guideway on the cutter baror guide frame, and the cutter bits engage and disintegrate the coal orother mineral, and there is frequently considerable dust created by thecutters during the cutting and disintegrating operation. This dirt ordust tends to clog the guideways of the cutter bar or guide frame and towork beneath the bottoms of the blocks and strap links so that the chainrides up or climbs resulting in undue chain tension which ofttimescauses undue wear and possible breakage. The'plane end surfaces 17 ofthe transverse slots or grooves in the bottom of the strap links tend toscrape off the dirt from the plane guiding surface of the guideway andthe dirt collected in the slots is conveyed outwardly with the chainalong the guideway to discharge thereby to reduce the possibility ofclogging and undue tensioning of the chain. The dirt conveyed outwardlyby the chain may be discharged from the slots as the chain passes aroundits drive sprocket (not shown), outwardly beyond the chain guideways.

Evidently the transverse slots or grooves at the bottoms of the straplinks may be omitted and in lieu thereof the bottoms of the bit blocksmay be transversely slotted or grooved for a similar purpose, and, incertain instances, both the blocks and the strap links may betransversely slotted. The slots may be of shapes other than therectangular shape disclosed. Also the invention may be incorporated inpivoted link chains of other types.

As a result of this invention an improved cutter or disintegrating chainis provided having novel means for preventing clogging of the guidewaysof the cutter bar or guideframe thereby to reduce the possibility ofchain riding up or climbing in such manner as to cause undue chaintension. By the provision of the transverse slots having plane endsurfaces disposed substantially perpendicular to the plane guidingsurface of the guideway and dirt which might collect and tend to clogthe guideway is scraped off and conveyed outwardly with the chain beyondthe chain-guideway to a suitable point of discharge as the chain rapidlycirculates during its operation. These and other advantages of theinvention will be clearly apparent to those skilled in the art.

' While there are in this application specifically described two formswhich the invention may assume in practice, it will be understood thatthese forms of the same are shown for purposes of illustration and theinvention may be' modified and embodied in various other forms withoutdeparting from its spirit or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a pivoted link chain and guide structure of the characterdisclosed, a series of bit carrying blocks having bases formed withspaced apart parallel side portions, and strap links projectingcentrally between said side portions of said block-bases for pivotallyconnecting said blocks together, said blocks and strap links travelingin a vertical orbit along a plane guiding surface of a guideway providedby a guide, said strap links having plane bottom surfaces terminating atfront and rear ends near the ends of said strap links and said straplinks also having relatively shallow rectangular slots extending aCIQ s,th

.plane bottoms thereof between the ends of said plane bottoms and withthe plane rear end surfaces of the slots disposed substantiallyperpendicular to said plane guiding surface, said end slot surfacesproviding sharp edges serving to scrape off the dirt in the guidewaylie-- neath the chain for collection in said slots and said chainconveying the dirt collected in said slots outwardly to discharge as thechain rapidly circulates in its orbit.

2. In a pivoted link chain and guide structure ofthe characterdisclosed, a series of pivotally connected chaini elements movable in avertical orbit along a plane bot-- tom surface of a guideway, said chainelements consisting of chain blocks having parallel side base portionsand intermediate strap links extending between said parallel base porions, hinge pins pivotally connecting said blocks and strap links, andmeans associated with said chain and guide structure for conveying dirtfrom the chain guideway comprising transverse slots formed in the basesof said strap links intermediate said hinge pins and opening. outthrough the sides of the chain intermediate the adjacent ends of saidchain blocks, said slots each providing a dirt collecting chamber andhaving a plane rear wall disposed substantially perpendicular to theplane bottom surface of the guideway and providing a sharp rear scrapingedge, the dirt discharging from said slots as the chain runs out of theguideway during orbital circulation of the chain about the guidestructure.

3. A chain and guide structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidtransverse conveyor slots terminate at the inner side surfaces of saidparallel base portions of said blocks and spaces are provided betweenthe adjacent ends of said chain blocks to provide for communication ofsaid slots with the outer sides of the chain.

4. A chain and guide structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidstrap links have parallel outer sides disposed in parallelism with andinside of the inner side surfaces of said base portions of said blocksand said slots opening out through the parallel side surfaces or saidlinks.

5. A chain and guide structure as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidstrap links have lateral gibs engaging the guideway of the guidestructure and said conveyor slots extending outwardly along the innersurface of said gibs and opening outwardly at the sides of the chainthrough the outer end surfaces of said gibs.

6. A chain and guide structure as set forth in claim 5 wherein saidchain blocks have lateral gi=b on their bases engaging the guideway ofthe guide structure and said strap link gibs extend outwardly betweenadjacent ends of said chain blocks, said link gibs and said block gibsextending laterally the same distance at the sides of the chain.

7. In a pivoted link chain and guide structure of the characterdisclosed, a series of pivotally connected chain elements movable in anorbit along a plane bottom surface of a guideway, said chain elementsconsisting of chain link members having parallel side base portions andintermediate chain link members extending between said parallel b-aseportions, hinge pins pivotally connectting said chain link members, andmeans associated with said chain and guide structure for conveying dirtfrom the chain guideway comprising transverse slots formed in the basesof said second mentioned link members intermediate said hinge pins andopening out through sides of the chain intermediate the adjacent ends ofsaid first mentioned link members, said slots each providing a dirtcollecting chamber and having a plane rear, Wall disposed substantiallyperpendicular to the plane bottom surface of the guideway and providinga sharp rear scraping edge,

the dirt discharging from said slits as the chain runs out of theguideway during orbital circulation of the chain aboutthe guidestructure.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Bowman Mar. 2, 1926 Joa Dec. 8, 1942Simmons May 10, 1949 Cox May 29, 1951

